After the last Republican debate, there was a “dust-up” centered around comments made by Newt Gingrich. In my opinion, Mr. Gingrich is dealing with the real world. There is no way, I repeat, NO WAY that all illegal immigrants currently within the borders of the United States will be deported.
Let’s be clear. This topic of this post is ILLEGAL immigration.
In most discussions concerning the illegal immigration problem, the “solution” tends to swirl around three major points.
- Secure the Border
This goes without saying. No one would live in a home where the doors had no locks. How is the country any different? Isn’t the United States of America our home? - Deal with the millions of illegals currently in the US
Here is the “dust-up” point. What to do with the millions already here and more coming each day. - Sanction employers that hire illegal immigrants
This item usually appears as a means to offset #2. If the jobs aren’t here acting as a magnet, then the illegal immigrants wouldn’t be drawn like a moth to a flame. In other words, there is a “link” between the availability of jobs and illegal immigration.
What to do with the millions of illegals already in the country? This is the sticking point. You can’t really fault the people coming in. For the most part, they are looking for a way to improve their lot in life; to improve the lives of their families. Let’s face it, part of the problem is our success. There’s not a huge influx of illegals into Russia, or Iran, or Cuba. It is the freedom and promise of America that draws the less fortunate from their countries of origin. Yes, our freedom and relative prosperity are “links” to the illegal immigration issue.
While we may want to deal with the “link” defined as JOBS, no sane individual wants to limit our freedom or our prosperity. The major complaint for the illegals currently in the country is not that they are taking up physical space needed by Americans, but that they are a drain on society; eating into the monies needed to take care of the less fortunate. In other words, they cost money we don’t have.
Well, we missed a “link” in this discussion. The item was mentioned above, but I never hear any solutions surrounding the missing “link”. That “link” is the country of origin. Everyone here illegally came from someplace. They didn’t materialize out of thin air. It seems as though the countries of origin are treated as innocent bystanders. These countries have nothing to do with the transfer of population from their country to the US. No, it couldn’t be the lack of freedom or lack of promise in their countries that send their people our way. Of course it is!
Well, it’s time that the countries of origin had some skin in the game. No more of this “it’s not my problem” foolishness. While not a 100% solution (nothing usually is), here are some steps that could help the problem.
- Illegal Immigrant Return Charge
Anytime I get something from a store, or online, there is a chance that I may pay a restocking fee for the item should I return it. In much the same way, when we return an illegal to their country of origin, that country is charged a return to sender fee. There are a number of ways to collect the fee; 1) The country pays the fee (not likely), 2) The US reduces the foreign aid provided to the country by the amount of the fee, 3) the US reduces any debts owed the country by the uS by the amount of the fee or 4) the US issues a garnishment against assets held in this country by the country of origin.This may prove effective in gaining the cooperation of these countries to combat the illegal immigration issue. One complaint we hear over and over again is that an individual is deported from the country, but enters the country illegally again and again. If the country of origin is charged each time this occurs, perhaps the number of occurrences would wain. - Immigrant Sponsorship
For those illegals residing in the US, arrange for a less costly yearly sponsorship paid by the country of origin. During the period of sponsorship, the individual is required to attain some form of legal worker status. The fee is used to offset the cost to public services for the individual. This “sponsorship” could also be a new form of approved status for being in the country. The country of origin should provide a sponsorship. After all, that country is receiving a return realized in savings to infrastructure costs for all individuals now in the US and for the influx of capital coming into their country from their sponsored workers here in the US.
In order to solve our illegal immigration problem, there needs to be cooperation; voluntary or coersed , from the country of origin.